The image quality DOES excel the competition. That's enough to make it worth looking at.

Name calling is both rude and uncalled for.

Sorry, I was trying to be amusing, I did not wish to offend you and I do apologise.

Wellington100
wrote:

You are being very generous about a camera that for its price point should excel or at the very least equal the competition. Leica is known for premium products at premium prices.

This camera has not kept up to date with the state of play in the premium compact sector. In some ways it is already three years out of date. Why on earth would anyone buy it when the Canon G1X is available for far less money and is better in every way.

I hope Leica have something else up their sleeves, this camera is a non event.
--

No problem. Sometimes it's hard to tell with the internet, and other posters like a certain person in the above part of the thread...

Wellington100
wrote:

Ming Thein
wrote:

The image quality DOES excel the competition. That's enough to make it worth looking at.

Name calling is both rude and uncalled for.

Sorry, I was trying to be amusing, I did not wish to offend you and I do apologise.

Wellington100
wrote:

You are being very generous about a camera that for its price point should excel or at the very least equal the competition. Leica is known for premium products at premium prices.

This camera has not kept up to date with the state of play in the premium compact sector. In some ways it is already three years out of date. Why on earth would anyone buy it when the Canon G1X is available for far less money and is better in every way.

I hope Leica have something else up their sleeves, this camera is a non event.
--

Nice review. Just curious though. Two cameras with (what I surmise are) two equal sensors. Have you any experience with Sony's NEX 5N and its EVF (3MP I believe...same as the EVF in the A65 and A77 cameras) and their 24mm Zeiss f1.8?

If you have I'd love to hear your thoughts on the IQ of the two. I know 'control-wise' the simplicity of the X2 will beat the NEX 5N hands down (although the NEX 5N does have some nice tricks up it's electronic sleeve). But what about the bottom line of image?

Thanks
--
Life is an infinite series of moments called now. My job is to capture them.

It sounds like a pretty good camera if the AF is sorted out. The image quality in the X1 was superb, it was the AF and overall slow operation that made it leave my hands.

Ming is right that the sensor-lens pairing is vitally important. The X1 had it just right.

Problem is of course that the other available options have moved far forward in the past couple of years. You can get the same Sony sensor, which is probably the best in the world right now other than a full frame, in several other mirrorless offerings for a lot less money, and more importantly with more flexibility. The Pentax K-01 with a trio of fine pancake lenses (equivalent to 24mm, 32mm and 60mm) will still cost less and give you superb IQ. Frankly I can't see a difference in files taken with the K-o1 and my old X1. The Nex5 uses the same sensor as well, I believe.

All that may be irrelevant IF the camera did fix the annoying flaws in the X1.

Haven't shot the NEX 5N enough to know it's image quality, and the Zeiss 24/1.8 is something I handled for half an hour or so. Wouldn't be fair on either camera.

What I do know is that the EVF on the Sony cameras definitely appears sharper to my eyes, though there's not a lot in it. Both frankly don't deal with dynamic range in a satisfying way - high contrast scenes block up too fast, and black is never really black - so neither will replace an optical finder, especially in low light. But both are 'good enough'.

I prefer the controls of the X1 to the NEX5 I owned, but I never shot extensively with the NEX5N - presumably its touch panel must make life a bit easier; it certainly does on my OM-D. I find myself wishing the D800E had it, actually.

streeteyes
wrote:

Hi Ming,

Nice review. Just curious though. Two cameras with (what I surmise are) two equal sensors. Have you any experience with Sony's NEX 5N and its EVF (3MP I believe...same as the EVF in the A65 and A77 cameras) and their 24mm Zeiss f1.8?

If you have I'd love to hear your thoughts on the IQ of the two. I know 'control-wise' the simplicity of the X2 will beat the NEX 5N hands down (although the NEX 5N does have some nice tricks up it's electronic sleeve). But what about the bottom line of image?

Thanks
--
Life is an infinite series of moments called now. My job is to capture them.

Fantastic review. Superb pics. At last somebody who knows something about photography. I´ve been beta testing Leica products as well - for the Scandinavian market, will do it soon. One question: does X2 still have this horrible apreture chatter and is stopping down continuously? It´s difficult to influence German besser-vissers, ha ha. Cheers!
Andrzej
http://www.audiomix.se/photo

Fantastic review. Superb pics. At last somebody who knows something about photography.* I´ve been beta testing Leica products as well* - for the Scandinavian market, will do it soon. One question: does X2 still have this horrible apreture chatter and is stopping down continuously? It´s difficult to influence German besser-vissers, ha ha. Cheers!
Andrzej
http://www.audiomix.se/photo

As to the camera itself, the single biggest improvement is the inclusion of the accessory port and the EVF they will sell alongside it. Those of you who buy this camera and who've not looked into this particular EVF before, are in for a treat.

That said...... Like the X1, I'm not seeing a value proposition (i.e. something to justify the inevitable red dot markup). With the M9, the S2 and even the Monochrom, the value proposition is easy enough to see. With this X2, there are better cameras in the same space and no real USP other than the name.

How can you say that you are brand agnostic when your signature says "Leica Camera brand ambassador"?

Very nice review by the way.

D

Ming Thein
wrote:

I run four systems. If it's a spade, I'll call it a spade - I'll use the best tool for the job, regardless of whatever it is.

I didn't think the X1 was useable for street work because it was a) slow to focus; b) slow to manually focus; c) battery didn't last long; d) sensor wasn't good enough to stop down all the way and guestimate distances - the distance indicator/ DOF scales are nowhere near as good as what you get on a say an M lens. The X2 is much better because of a combination of flip up EVF, focusing speed, and sensor.

You're talking about saggital coma, I think. I still see it on the X2 - it's the same lens.

janlu
wrote:

very nice review and pleasant reading...... I also appreciate your sincerity as Leica ambassador in stating that the lens doesn't perform so well at F2.8 with the new sensor.... This X2 is for sure an improved X1, but i can't see in it a big step since i have never found my X1 unusable .

On the night shot wide-open on the X1 i have always noted a decentered Halo around the lights to sides of the frame ...not in the center though , ( i.e. street-lamps etc...) ..... do you experienced it with the X2 .... the lens is supposed to be exactly the same... .. or not ?

I work with Leica because they recognize that whilst exclusivity is great for marketing, it isn't so great for credibility. There are times I prefer to use my Nikons, or my M4/3 gear, or something else, and times I use the Leicas. I use the best tool for the job - the final yardstick for me is client delivery, not who sponsors the cameras (if at all).

Daedalus2000
wrote:

How can you say that you are brand agnostic when your signature says "Leica Camera brand ambassador"?

Very nice review by the way.

D

Ming Thein
wrote:

I run four systems. If it's a spade, I'll call it a spade - I'll use the best tool for the job, regardless of whatever it is.

I didn't think the X1 was useable for street work because it was a) slow to focus; b) slow to manually focus; c) battery didn't last long; d) sensor wasn't good enough to stop down all the way and guestimate distances - the distance indicator/ DOF scales are nowhere near as good as what you get on a say an M lens. The X2 is much better because of a combination of flip up EVF, focusing speed, and sensor.

You're talking about saggital coma, I think. I still see it on the X2 - it's the same lens.

janlu
wrote:

very nice review and pleasant reading...... I also appreciate your sincerity as Leica ambassador in stating that the lens doesn't perform so well at F2.8 with the new sensor.... This X2 is for sure an improved X1, but i can't see in it a big step since i have never found my X1 unusable .

On the night shot wide-open on the X1 i have always noted a decentered Halo around the lights to sides of the frame ...not in the center though , ( i.e. street-lamps etc...) ..... do you experienced it with the X2 .... the lens is supposed to be exactly the same... .. or not ?